Cable Backs Broadband Measurement Program, but Cites Some Concerns

Cable officials said they had concerns with the FCC's Measuring Broadband America (MBA) program, though overall it "continues to serve the public interest." In a meeting with FCC staffers, including Chief Technologist Scott Jordan, the industry officials noted “periodic failures on the Measurement Lab test server platform” resulting in faulty test results (see 1510150052). They also discussed considerations to apply in possible guidance from Jordan under paragraph 166 of the net neutrality order. “With respect to the requirement that broadband providers disclose actual performance that is 'reasonably related' to the geographic area where the customer purchases service, we reminded the Commission that the MBA program considered reporting results at a regional level but rejected that approach because of the significant expense it would entail,” said the NCTA filing in docket 14-28 on the meeting, which also included officials from Charter Communications, Comcast and Time Warner Cable. “We also explained that individual cable operators generally deploy the same technology and follow the same operational practices across their footprint, so the nationwide results reported by the MBA program should reasonably reflect performance in each geographic area served by a particular operator.” In addition, the cable officials said smaller fixed broadband providers faced challenges complying with a duty to disclose actual performance data. Thousands of providers haven't been included in the program, depriving them of access to the MBA test platform and equipment, NCTA said. “While a handful of larger non-MBA companies have taken it upon themselves to deploy a similar testing regime, any guidance issued by the Commission should reiterate that alternative, less expensive, approaches also are permissible,” the group said. “We also encouraged the Commission to offer additional companies the opportunity to participate in the MBA program, thereby increasing the percentage of broadband consumers that are covered by the program.”